Charting Change

Plotting the course of our community's progress

Reflecting on the slippery meaning of progress, George Bernard Shaw once noted that "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself."

It follows, he concluded, that all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

By nature, humans are the most unreasonable creatures on the planet. Our survival strategy has long been based on a combination of shared learning and tinkering with the natural universe. And let's face it, for us it works.

The trick to civilization advancement, however, is in masterminding forces of change in which the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

And that hasn't always been our strong suit.

Nevertheless, the most unreasonable among us many of whom history remembers as our greatest leaders, explorers, artists, entrepreneurs and scientists have boldly reshaped the world with their visionary enterprises.

So in this issue of the Roundup's annual Progress edition, you will find evidence of unreasonable men and women who dared to challenge the unpredictable nature of change and make our community a better place to live.